Change Web Hosts in 5 (Almost) Painless Steps
by Debbi
Everywhere you turn, you see another advertisement for another web hosting company. You've been with your host for a few years now, and maybe you're staring to notice that there are other companies out there, offering more of what you want for less. Maybe you've even considered moving to another host, but the task seems a little overwhelming. Actually, the most difficult part of moving to a new web host is finding the host that you want. Once you've done your homework and found the perfect host for your site, one that offers all the right features at a reasonable price, you're ready to plan your move. By following the five steps below, you can make your move almost painless.
Step One: Get Your Stuff Together
You should always, that's always have the most recent copy of your own website. If you do not work on the site yourself, but depend on a web designer for that, then they should have the most recent copy, which they should be willing to provide to you. So your first step, if you do not already have it, is to get your files locally - you can use FTP to log in to your current server and download a copy if need be.
Along with the website files, it is important to gather a list of everyone who is using email at your domain name. If this is a business website, the list could be quite extensive, so make sure you find out the email box names that are on your account, as well as the passwords the mailbox users would like to have at their new host. Mailboxes will need to be reset at the new host, so planning a list in advance protects you from losing emails.
Step Two: Go Shopping!
As mentioned above, finding your new host is the most time-consuming part of the whole venture. Word of mouth from current clients, web searching, web hosting directories, and advertising are all places to start looking for your host. There are over 36,000 hosting providers in the US alone, and a majority of these are smaller, one or two person operations. Choose carefully, with an eye towards picking a professional host with a history, one that is likely to be around in the future and who will be updating their product offerings to provide you with better service as time goes by.
Once you have narrowed down your choices, be sure to closely compare the features the host is offering. Does the host have everything required for your website to function? Do they offer the databases you need, do they allow FrontPage Extensions? How much space are they offering? Can you contact them via email or support ticket system for support and general questions? Do they have any 'extras', like forum or blogging software? Just remember that the lowest price is not always the best investment in the end. You will consider price, of course, but take the time to research what you get for your money, and if it's enough for now and can be upgraded for the future. When you have your choice, buy your account.
Step Three: The Great Migration
Your new host will provide you with new FTP credentials and other login information. Since you have a live website with your current host, you will leave your domain name alone (and still pointed to your current host) while you make the switch. This may mean that you will be accessing your new FTP account by IP address instead of domain name, and your new host should provide you with the IP information as well.
Log in, and upload your website to your new FTP site. If your new hosting company has provided you with a control panel interface of some sort (something you will have researched before you chose your host!), you can log into your control panel to preview your site and to create your new mailboxes. Duplicate all the email boxes from your old host, using the same passwords, for the most seamless transition. You may want to add an email 'catchall' for now. Even if you don't normally use one, a catchall is a good idea when first moving to a new server. The function of the catchall is to divert any mail not sent to a specific mailbox on the server into a single account, where it can be accessed. On the off chance that you forget to recreate someone's mailbox at the new server, at least their mail will be found by the catchall.
Step Four: Repointing Your Domain Name
When you are satisfied that your website is working correctly at the new host, and you have created your email accounts, it is time to direct your domain name to your new IP so it will now point to your new host. Who physically takes care of this depends on who's nameservers your domain is on. If they are on the nameservers of your domain registrar, you can contact them to update your DNS records to those of the new host. If the domain is on the nameservers of the old host, you may want to switch them onto the new host's nameservers. Contact both your registrar and your new host about this if you are unsure how the process works or who is holding your domain name for you.
Step Five: Wait, Adjust, and Move On
It will take between 6 and 48 hours for your domain name to be completely propagated through the internet to reference your new host. Propagation time is basically the time it takes for computers all over the world to refresh their records to tell them that the domain name now points to a different set of numbers - so it is not uncommon during this time for some people to see the site on the old server, while others are seeing it at the new. Once propagation time is complete, double check your site for any minor or unexpected abnormalites. Also be sure that everyone is still getting their email, and can send and receive from the new host. Once you are sure everything is in place, you may safely cancel your service with your old host. Always remember to cancel properly - a hosting company may not know that you have repointed your domain to another server, and if you do not give them notice, they will be holding web space for your old site which they have a right to charge you for. Follow whatever cancellation procedures are needed carefully.
Now that that is over, sit back, relax, and enjoy your new hosting product. Try out your new features and services, admire the speed with which your new host serves up your site, revel in the joy of your working email account. Now that wasn't too painful, was it?
from :http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=333437
by Debbi
Everywhere you turn, you see another advertisement for another web hosting company. You've been with your host for a few years now, and maybe you're staring to notice that there are other companies out there, offering more of what you want for less. Maybe you've even considered moving to another host, but the task seems a little overwhelming. Actually, the most difficult part of moving to a new web host is finding the host that you want. Once you've done your homework and found the perfect host for your site, one that offers all the right features at a reasonable price, you're ready to plan your move. By following the five steps below, you can make your move almost painless.
Step One: Get Your Stuff Together
You should always, that's always have the most recent copy of your own website. If you do not work on the site yourself, but depend on a web designer for that, then they should have the most recent copy, which they should be willing to provide to you. So your first step, if you do not already have it, is to get your files locally - you can use FTP to log in to your current server and download a copy if need be.
Along with the website files, it is important to gather a list of everyone who is using email at your domain name. If this is a business website, the list could be quite extensive, so make sure you find out the email box names that are on your account, as well as the passwords the mailbox users would like to have at their new host. Mailboxes will need to be reset at the new host, so planning a list in advance protects you from losing emails.
Step Two: Go Shopping!
As mentioned above, finding your new host is the most time-consuming part of the whole venture. Word of mouth from current clients, web searching, web hosting directories, and advertising are all places to start looking for your host. There are over 36,000 hosting providers in the US alone, and a majority of these are smaller, one or two person operations. Choose carefully, with an eye towards picking a professional host with a history, one that is likely to be around in the future and who will be updating their product offerings to provide you with better service as time goes by.
Once you have narrowed down your choices, be sure to closely compare the features the host is offering. Does the host have everything required for your website to function? Do they offer the databases you need, do they allow FrontPage Extensions? How much space are they offering? Can you contact them via email or support ticket system for support and general questions? Do they have any 'extras', like forum or blogging software? Just remember that the lowest price is not always the best investment in the end. You will consider price, of course, but take the time to research what you get for your money, and if it's enough for now and can be upgraded for the future. When you have your choice, buy your account.
Step Three: The Great Migration
Your new host will provide you with new FTP credentials and other login information. Since you have a live website with your current host, you will leave your domain name alone (and still pointed to your current host) while you make the switch. This may mean that you will be accessing your new FTP account by IP address instead of domain name, and your new host should provide you with the IP information as well.
Log in, and upload your website to your new FTP site. If your new hosting company has provided you with a control panel interface of some sort (something you will have researched before you chose your host!), you can log into your control panel to preview your site and to create your new mailboxes. Duplicate all the email boxes from your old host, using the same passwords, for the most seamless transition. You may want to add an email 'catchall' for now. Even if you don't normally use one, a catchall is a good idea when first moving to a new server. The function of the catchall is to divert any mail not sent to a specific mailbox on the server into a single account, where it can be accessed. On the off chance that you forget to recreate someone's mailbox at the new server, at least their mail will be found by the catchall.
Step Four: Repointing Your Domain Name
When you are satisfied that your website is working correctly at the new host, and you have created your email accounts, it is time to direct your domain name to your new IP so it will now point to your new host. Who physically takes care of this depends on who's nameservers your domain is on. If they are on the nameservers of your domain registrar, you can contact them to update your DNS records to those of the new host. If the domain is on the nameservers of the old host, you may want to switch them onto the new host's nameservers. Contact both your registrar and your new host about this if you are unsure how the process works or who is holding your domain name for you.
Step Five: Wait, Adjust, and Move On
It will take between 6 and 48 hours for your domain name to be completely propagated through the internet to reference your new host. Propagation time is basically the time it takes for computers all over the world to refresh their records to tell them that the domain name now points to a different set of numbers - so it is not uncommon during this time for some people to see the site on the old server, while others are seeing it at the new. Once propagation time is complete, double check your site for any minor or unexpected abnormalites. Also be sure that everyone is still getting their email, and can send and receive from the new host. Once you are sure everything is in place, you may safely cancel your service with your old host. Always remember to cancel properly - a hosting company may not know that you have repointed your domain to another server, and if you do not give them notice, they will be holding web space for your old site which they have a right to charge you for. Follow whatever cancellation procedures are needed carefully.
Now that that is over, sit back, relax, and enjoy your new hosting product. Try out your new features and services, admire the speed with which your new host serves up your site, revel in the joy of your working email account. Now that wasn't too painful, was it?
from :http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=333437
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